Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolyn Chunn
Carolyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey with Nicole’s Naturals started in September of 2020. Prior to starting, I was creating whipped shea body butters out of necessity for my daughter, who’s eczema worsening. I decided to create a natural moisturizer to avoid steroids. This seemed to work and the condition of her skin improved tremendously! I decided to share it with family, including my bedridden grandmother. With much encouragement from family and friends, I decided to launch Nicole’s Naturals. When thinking of a name, I thought of my sister, Michelle Nicole, who passed away from complication of lupus in 2018 and desired to start a business creating products that promoted aromatherapy and wellness. Nicole’s Naturals was the name chosen to honor and continue her vision. Michelle was an opera singer and our family has established a music scholarship to support young artists to study at The Carter School of Music located in heart of Baltimore City.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It is certainly par for the course to face challenges as a small business owner with variable cost of goods to create my products and keeping up with inventory to meet the needs of my wonderful customers!. I also have maintained a full time job and work, business and life balance was challenging at first, but I have learned to take breaks and enjoy life! I also take queue from customers old and new with a goal of meeting their needs which has proven to be a success.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Nicole’s Naturals LLC?
Nicole’s Naturals was born on September of 2020 and inspired by my sister, Michelle Nicole, who desired to start a business creating handmade products to promote wellness and aromatherapy. Michelle sadly passed away in 2018 from complications of lupus. Initially, I was creating whipped shea body butters for my daughter to soothe her eczema which can be very painful and requires frequent skin hydration for relief. I decided to share the whipped shea body butter with family and friends. My late grandmother loved the whipped shea body butter I created for her with lavender and sweet peppermint. With much encouragement from family and friends, I decided to carry on Michelle’s vision and started Nicole’s Naturals.
Nicole’s Naturals provides a variety of thoughtful handmade products designed to create uplift via aromatherapy, and celebrate friends and family with custom gifts and favors. Nicole’s Naturals creates ‘Feel Good and Smell Good” products with the goal to Nourish, Refresh, and Renew the Mind, Body, and Spirit. These products include: hand poured scented soy candles that are eco friendly and non-toxic, Scented whipped shea and mango body butters, sugar scrubs, soy wax melts, and shower melts. Some of the products named are inspired by childhood memories, black culture and affirmations.
What I am most proud of is how the brand has grown from where it was when I started. Listening to my customers has driven Nicole’s Naturals to create products that meet their needs with the best smell goods for skin care and aromatherapy. My customers call Nicole’s Naturals products “Smell Goods” and it has stuck with me when promoting the business.
Since 2022, Nicole’s Naturals has been a featured small business with our candles for sale at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. Nicoles Naturals contributes funds from sales to the Michelle N. Dorsey Music Scholarship fund established in honor of my late sister. Proceeds from the scholarship assist a child to study music performance at the Carter School of Music located in Baltimore, MD.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
These are the things I had to learn.
Attend free networking events or while at pop ups, network with other vendors. I’ve learned so much listening to experienced small business owners.
Be open to feedback and listen to your customers.
Have more of a social media presence to engage with more potential customers.
I still am a work in progress but that is what entrepreneurship and being a small business owner is all about. Evolving and creating.
Make sure you know your worth! Don’t put a small price on your products you worked so hard to create. You have to lay money aside for so many necessary expenses and charging less means you will pay more to keep the business running.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolesnaturals.shop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoles__naturals_llc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesnaturals4ullc
